Examination device



Dec. 27, 1932. 5. PRESSE-Y 1,892,318

EXAMINATION DEVICE Filed DeG. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Era'mina ion N1 lAmerica was discovered by: @Magellan {2.)caboi (3) columbuswcoez. 2 The Paci f1'. c was discovered by: @Buma (2me Soto @ColumbuswLmob JBL Presse y Dec. 27, 1932.

' s. L, PRESSEY 1,892,318

EXAMINATION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 24, 1931 lTnericn. was Jiuwerec? L1, (l.) Magdi (-1) Cabof (3) cclfumbxul) Curiaz.

Wemag Patented Dec. 27, 17932 PATENT OFFICE SIDNEY L. PRESSEY, OE COL'UvIBUS, OHTO EXAMINATION DEVICE Application filed December 24, 193i. Serial No. 583,044.

This invention relates to examination devices and, more particularly, is directed to improved and simplified response denoting and evaluating means for facilitatingv the giving, recording, grading, and filing of written, printed, or dictated examinations in various subjects.

So-called objective tests are now Widely used and many methods and devices have been proposed and are employed for conduct ing these tests. Usually, however, resort is made to printed or typewritten forms bearing questions of the objective type of which the following is typical:

1. America was discovered by: (l) Magellan (Q) Cabot (3) Columbus (4) Cortez.

2. The Pilgrims landed in 1620. True. False.

Ordinarily the student underlines or otherwise indicates on this same test sheet the answer to each question which he considers to be correct. Each test sheet can thus be used but once, and the grading or scoring of these tests by an examiner is usually a very tedious and time consuming task. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and convenient answer and record form usually apart from the test blank, and an associated response evalulating device by which the examiner mayA quickly and accurately check the correct and incorrect responses to the test questions.

In carrying out the invention, use is made of an answer card and a specially formed scoring key therefor. The card has suitably designated thereon answer boxes or spaces adapted to be marked by the student in accordance with the answers to the' questions which are deemed to be correct. The scoring key for the card, by which the grading of the test cards is facilitated, is a folded pasteboard unit open along two of its sides for ready insertion of the card and closed along the remaining two sides to permit of the convenient positioning of the test card so as to give alignment of the answer boxes or spaces on the test card with openings or per-r forations formed in one or more of the sides of .the scoring key. The answer receiving spaces on the test card and the perforations of the scoring key are similarly and consecutively numbered so that when the card is positioned within the key, proper registration between the openings and the answer spaces may be conveniently ascertained and secured. Adjacent to said openings, the key is provided with portions upon which the examiner may write or otherwise designate the correct response to each question so that the examiner may, by comparing the question designations appearing on the key with the designations marked b-y the student on the test card, which are viewable through the openings in the key, effect ready comparison of the students responses with the correct answers to provide Jfor, the rapid and at the same time accurate scoring or grading of the test cards or sheets.

The back of the scoring key projects beyond the front on the two open sides and 7 thus facilitates insertion of a card. The back is nevertheless slightly smaller than the card so that the latter' can be readily removed. The key may thus be designated as a scoring corner or stencil.

It is a further object of the invention to form each test card with answer boxes or spaces on both of its sides so that the card may be of relatively small proportions and yet will possess ample space to permit of the answering in a clear and legible manner of a relatively large number of questions. Also, the front and back sides of the grading key are periiorated or provided with rows of openings corresponding to and adapted to register with the spaces or rows of answer boxes appearing on the front and back sides of the test card. By thus providing a small compact test card, costs for the materials involved in conducting examinations of the objective type may be kept to a minimum and, further, in the event the test cards are to be kept for record purposes, the cards will require but a minimum ot storage space, and the key, being slightly smaller than a card, can be filed with the card as a record of the correct answers.

It is a further advantage of the key that its use is not limited to the size of the test card. lt may also be employed with larger cards, such as personnel record forms, `or pages of text books or work books on which questions are presented, it being necessary only that suitably placed ans ver boxes be printed or stamped on a corner ol' the page.

For a further understanding ot' the invention, reference is to be had to the following description taken in connection with the ac'- companying drawings in which:

F 1 is a view ot an examination sheet and marked thereon are questions ot the objective type, although as tar as the present invention is concerned, these questions may be presented in any other desired manner;

Fig. 2 is a view in trent elevation of an answer or rest card provided with the answer' positioning indicia oi" the present invention;

3 is a iront elevation of the periorate key scoring corner provided by the present invention tor receiving and grading answer or test cards;

Fig. l is a view disclosing a gradzng rey with an answer card positioned therein and disclosing how the answers appearing on a test card may be compared with answers or responses appearing on the key;

Fig. 5 is a view of the reverse or `back side of an answer card;

Fig. G is a similar view of t ie grading key;

F ig. '7 is a rear view ot' the key with tlie card positioned therein;

Fig. 8 is a view showing the key receiving corner of a page or test sheet wherein the page or sheet is provided with Vanswer positioning indicia corresponding to that appearing on the separate answer card.

My improved examination means in its preferred form comprises essentially a test or answer card, which is lesignated in the ac companying drawings by the numeral 1, and a lperforate folded key indicated at 2, which is formed to provide a pocket for the reception ot the answer card, the pocket being opened along two of its marginal edges and the back also extending slightly beyond the front so that the card may be readily slipped into Vthe pocket ot the key and brought into desired registration with the pertorations ot the key.

lThe answer card may be formed from any suitable material, such as paper, cardboard, Celluloid or any other suitable materials capable of being readily marked by a student. ln this preferred embodiment. the card is formed from a material having the properties of stift" paper, since this material possesses suliicient body to permit oit convenient handling` and also admits of the use of the card, following` t ie examination, as a permanent record. The front of the card at its top may be provided with spaces in which the name ot the student may be written and other identifying indicia pertaining to the student, the date o'lthe examination, and its general character. Below those indicia, the

front of the card is provided with ruled intersecting and parallel lines positioned to define a plurality ot answer boxes or spaces, as indicated at 3 in Fig. 2. Preferably, these boxes are consecutively numbered so that they may be individually identilied and appropriately spaced. As shown in Fig. 5, the reverse or back side of each answer card may be likewise provided 'with corresponding answer boxes or spaces as indicated at 4 also individually numbered. By this arrangement,a large number of answer spaces appear on each card, permitting of the answering by a student, on a card possessing usually dimensions of three by 'live inches, ot one hundred or more questions. f

In Aconducting the examination, each student is provided with one of the cards and may also be supplied with a sheet, as indicated at 5 in Fig. 1, containing test questions of the objective type. These questions, as is well known, can be framed so as to cover practically all subjects taught in elementary, intermediate and collegiate schools. It isnot necessary that the questions should. appear on sheets of the type disclosed in Fig. 1, although this is a generallyV accepted way of presenting them since in the .use ofmy device, the questions may be written on a blackboard, or may be dictated by the instructor or examiner, or presented by stereopticon.`

By reference to Fig. 1, it will .be observed that the lirst two questions appearing on the sheet contain four stimulii or responses, each of which beinglnumbered, and in respending to these questions, the students marks on the answer box or space appearing on the answer card and corresponding to the number of the question, the number of the response which he considers to ybe the correct answer to the question under consideration. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the first question reads as follows:

America was discovered by: (l) Magellan (2) Cabot (3) Columbus (4) Cortez.

If the student considers response to be correct, the number 3 should 'be marked in the answer box number 1 appearing on the answer card. The next question appearing on the question sheet is:

The Pacilic `was discovered by: (1) Balboa (2) DeSoto (3) Columbus (4l) Lincoln.

It the student considers that response (1) is the correct answer to the question, this number may be marked in the answer box number 2 appearing on. the test card. This procedure is followed all the way through such an examination, the vstudent marking the response number to the various questions proposed on the answer card in the space pro- .-7

vided on that card for the answer of each particular question. By this procedure, an examinationmay be very quickly conducted without Waste or loss ot time ordinarily involved in laborious writing of examination answers and since the test sheets themselves are not marked upon, they can be used over and over again. Usually, the test sheets 5 are prepared in advance of the examination and are distributed to each student and at the same time each student is given one of the answer cards. In this manner lost motion is eliminated and yet the knowledge of the student with reference to the subjects under examination may be quite accurately determined. Many systems may be used for marking the spaces or answer boxes appearing on the test cards. Vhile I prefer the number system, by reason of its inherent simplicity, yet it is obvious that other designations such as the characters of the alphabet or various symbols may be used in lieu of numbers. Thus, plus and minus signs are often used and letters such as T to indicate true and F to indicate false may be employed by the student in connection with socalled true and false questions as illustrated by question 3 in Fig. 1 of the drawings, depending upon the nature of the scoring system used by the examiner or instructor.

In order to reduce the time required on the part of the instructor or examiner in grading the answer cards, I have provided a convenient means in the form of what may be termed the grading corner or key 2. This key may be formed from the same materials as is the answer or test card 1 and is constructed to provide front and back sides 7 and 8 respectively. These sides are joined together along two of their marginal edge portions while the remaining edges are left open or separable to produce a corner pocket ettect. The back side 8 is of greater area than the front side so that the students answer card 1 may be placed on the projecting marginal edge of the key and then easily guided into the pocket so that the answer boxes or spaces appearing on the card may be brought into desired alignment with rows of perforations or openings 9 provided in the front and back walls of the key. Each of the perforations or openings 9 is numbered or otherwise designated to correspond with the number of the particular space or answer box on the card l which should be in registration therewith. The number designation Jfor each opening 9 appears at the left of the latter, as shown in Fig. 3. The front side is provided with horizontal rows of the openings 9 and in each row there appears four openings. The answer boxes or spaces 3 and l appearing on the answer card are arranged in horizontal rows containing five each. It will be undeistood that the front side of the key need but contain four of the openings 9 in each of its horizontal rows since the area of the front side 7 is such that the answer boxes or spaces at the right of the card l project beyond the coniines of the front side 7 when the answer u card is positioned in the key. This is clearly disclosed in Fig. 4. However, the back side 8 of the key is provided with horizontal rows of tive openings, which register with the rows of iive answer boxes or spaces provided on the back of each card l.

Preferably, the instructor or examiner marks the front and back sides of the key contiguous to the opening 9 with the number or other designation of the correct answer to the questions propounded, as shown in Figs. 3 and Ll. The answers on the grading key appear at the left of the answers written by the student on the test card and which are iewable through the openings 9. By this arrangement, it is merely necessary for the examiner to compare the correct answer which he has written on the key in the proper space with the answer inserted by the student on the answer card. This comparison may be eiected quickly and conveniently so that a given card may be graded in a very short period of time.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive and compact means for facilitating the conducting and grading of examinations of the objective type. It will be Linderstood that the grading key may be so formed as to be used with cards of different size. The two closed edges of the pocket or" the key permit exact positioning of the answer card or test page, while the two open sides of the pocket facilitate the placing oi' the scoring key over the card or the corner of a page or sheet. In this connection, as shown in F ig. 8, the answer spaces, as provided on the separate cards, may be printed or stamped in the corner or margin of a question sheet or booklet, or page in a text book presenting objective questions as indicated at 5a. By so positioning, the scoring key may be readily placed over the answer spaces appearing on the sheet in the same manner as the key is used in connection with the individualcards. By this open sided arrangement of the key, it is independent entirely of the size of the card or sheet used in connection therewith, the only requirement being that the arrangement of the answer boxes or spaces correspond with the arrangement of the perforations or openings present in the key, and yet is very easily positioned with reference to the answer boxes. The key may be formed from such materials as celluloid that the answer markings applied thereto may be readily erased, permitting the key to be used repeatedly for a number of examinations. Or, if desired. the key, being smaller than the answer cards, can easily be filed with them as a record of the answers considered correct in scoring that set of cards. The periorations 9 in the front side of the envelope are preferably staggered or odset with respect to the perforations in the back side 8, so that the material between such openings in each oiC the sides will serve Cfu as a `backing means in marking errors on the ca-rd.

l/Vhile I have eescribed what l consider `to bethe preferred forni of my invention, nevertheless it is apparent thatit is subject to considerable modification or variation without departing from its underlying principles and I therefore reserve the right to employ all such modifications that may be said to fall. within the scope of the following claims.'

Vhat is claimed is: ,y

vl. An examination device of the class described, comprising a key of substantially rectangular configuration closed along two of lits adjacent edges and open along its ref maining edges to form a corner pocket, at.

least one of the sides of said key being provided with vertical and horizontal rows of perforations, each of said perforations bearing identifying and distinguishing indicia and having space immediately adjacent thereto where the right answer to the corresponding question may be marked, and an answer card receivable within the pocket of said key, said card having at least one of its sides provided with answer receiving spaces arranged to align with the perforations in the key when the edges of said card are v1n engagement with the closed edges of the key..

2. Examination conducting means of the character set forth comprising a grading. key open along two of its adjacent edges and closed on the other two edges to form a corner pocket, either one or both sides of 1 said key being provided with evenly spaced rows of perforations and spaces adjacent thereto where correct answers are designated, and a test answer' card positionable in the pocket of said key so that the corner edges of the card engage with t-he closed edges of the key, said card being provided with answer receiving spaces arranged to register with said perforations.

`3. vAn educational device comprising a folder substantially rectangular in configuration, said folder being open along at least two of its adjacent edges, one of the leaves at least of said folder being provided with rows of individually identified openings through which a pupils answers to a test or examination may be viewed in immediate juxtaposition to the correct answers as carried in the folder.

4. A folder for facilitating the grading of objective examination test cards comprising front and back leaves, said leaves being joined along at least one of the marginal edges of the folder and open along at least two edges, and said front and back leaves being provided with vertically disposed rows of perforations, each of said perforations having arranged immediately contiguous theretoon the exposed surfaces of said sheets individual identifying indicia, the perforations in the front sheet being laterally offset with respect to the /perforations yin the back sheet.

5. A device for facilitating 'the grading of examination test cards or sheets `comprising front ,and 'back leaves, said leaves being joined along at least Vone of the marginali edges and .open .along at least rtwo adjacent edges ofthe device, said front leaf being of smaller size than the `rear leaf whereby the rear leaf :projects .beyond the confines of the front leaf, -either lor both leaves vbeing provided `with rows Iof lperforations, yand identifying indicia arranged immediately adjacent to each of the `perforations lon .the exposed surface by which a pupi-ls response to Veach question may be compared directly with -the correct answer.

In 'testimony whereof I Vaffix my signature.

SIDNEY L. PRESSEY. 

